Arizona Game And Fish Commission Sets 2009 Fall Hunts

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission approved the remaining big game fall hunting seasons for deer, turkey, javelina, bighorn sheep, buffalo, bear and mountain lion at its April 18 meeting in Phoenix.

The application deadline to apply for a hunt permit-tag is Tuesday, June 9 by 7 p.m. (MST). Postmarks do not count, and there is no online process available. You can start applying once the regulations are posted on the department’s Web site at www.

azgfd.gov/draw.

Draw application instructions, season dates, permit numbers, hunt numbers and other draw-related information will be published in the 2009-2010 Arizona Hunting and Trapping Regulations booklet that should be available for download at www.azgfd.

gov/draw the last week in April.

Printed copies of the booklet should be available at all department offices and license dealers statewide no later than the second full week in May. To apply for a 2009-10 fall hunt permit-tag, paper applications must be used — no online application service is available.

Another date to remember is May 28 —which is the end of the application grace period. During the grace period, if you apply for one of the remaining fall hunts and make a mistake on the application, the department will attempt to call you three times in a 24-hour period and allow you the opportunity to correct the mistake.

After that date, mistakes can cause your application to be rejected.

New for this season is a dual method and schedule for applying for leftover tags on a first-come, first-served basis. In an effort to streamline the process and reduce the waiting time, hunters will have the option to buy a leftover permit-tag at department offices — after a by-mail-only grace period.

For first-come, first-served leftover tags for fall 2009-10 hunts paper applications are accepted by mail only starting Aug. 3 after 8 a.m. Beginning Aug. 10 at 8 a.m. hunt permit-tags can be obtained at any department office or by the mail application process.